Frictionless rail joint



'0. J. LENTZ.

FRICTIONLESS RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION'FILED SEPT. 12, 192i.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

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O. J. LENTZ.

FRICTIONLESS RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION mu) SEPT. 12. 192i.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

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Patented Sept. 1%, 1922.

UNHEE ONIS J'. LENTZ, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FRICTION LESS RAIL JOINT.

! Application filed September 12, 1921. Serial No. 500,009.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, ONrs J. LENTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Frictionless Rail Joint; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaips to make and use the same.

The invention relates to rail joints and aims to obviate the usual pounding of the rolling stock at the joints, to strengthen and brace the joint both vertically and laterally, to increase the bearing surface at the joint and lastly to obviate the formation of a gap between adjacent rail ends and provide in effect a continuous surface for sustaining the perpendicular pressure or load passing over I the joint.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodi ment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railroad rail joint embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an end View thereof, the rail in section.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line ww of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the base plate,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the outer fish plate,

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the inner fish plate, and

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the spanner overlapping the joint formed between the abutting rail ends.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the abutting rail ends, each having a portion of the head cut away upon the outer side as indicated at 2. A spanner 3 fills the cut away portions 2 and overlaps the joint formedbetween the abutting rail ends 1 and is placed against the outer side of the web portions and rests upon the outer flange forming a portion of the foot or base of the rails. The top and outer side of the spanner 3 are flush with corresponding parts of the head of the rails.

The base plate 4 is of a length and width to provide a substantial support for the abutting rail ends and is supported upon the ties of the railroad. An integral flange 5 is provided near the outer edge and preferably forms a part thereof and has a longitudinal groove 6 upon its inner side adja cent the base plate t. Channels 7 are formed in the upper side ofthe base plate 4 in posi-- tion to come beneath the foot of the abutting rail ends so as to carry, 01f moisture and provide for a circulation of air. A longitudinal groove 8 is formedin the upper side of the base plate 42 near, the inner edge thereof and inclines upwardly and outwardly to receive a corresponding flange at the lower edge of the inner fish plate-as described more in detail hereinafter. The outer fish plate 9 is provided along'its lower edge with a flange 10 which is adapted to engage over the outer flange forming a part of the foot of the rails. The outer portion of the flange 10 is adapted to enter the groove 6 of the flange 5 and thereby prevents vertical move ribs 11- formed upon the inner side of the fish plate 9 are adapted to engage the web portions of the rail ends and act jointly with the inner portion of the flange 10 to revent lateral movement of the abutting rails. The longitudinal ribs 11 and the inner portion of the flange 10 are cut away intermediate their ends, as indicated at 12, to receive the spanner 3. The fish plate 9 is provided at its upper edge with an outwardly disposed flange 13 whichis adapted to overlap and rest upon the upper edge of the flange 5. The upper side of the flange 13 comes flush with the head or upper side of the rails so as to sustain the load passing over the joints and thereby provide an extended supporting rail surface. The upper side of the outwardly extending flange 13 inclines upwardly and outwardly to engage the outer portions of the wheels of the rolling stock when the same passes over the joint.

The inner fish plate 14- engages the web portions of the abutting rail ends and fits snugly between the inner portion of the head and foot thereof. A longitudinal flange 15 at the lower edge of the fish plate 14: inclines inwardly and downwardly and makes a snug fit in the inclinedgroove 8 whereby an interlocking connection is had between the fish plate 14 and the base plate 4 to @prevent vertical displacement of said fish plate. It will thus be understood ;thatiboth the inner and the outer fish plates have positive interlocking connection with the base plate l to prevent vertical displacement thereof.

The inner fish plate 14 has direct interlocking engagement with the *base plate l through the instrumentality of the elements 8 and '15. The outer fish plate 9 has indirect interlocking connection with the base plate t through the flange?) and the elements 6 and 10. Theseveral parts such as'the spanner 3, fish plate, flange 5 and rail ends havingregistering openings to receive bolts 16 whereby they are made securewhen assemf'bled. The base plate 4 is provided in its longitudinal edge portions with openings 17 to receive spikes or other tasteningi'means (not-shown) whereby to secure the base plate to the cross ties upon which it-inay beplaced. Having thus described the invention, what I I claim is 1. In a rail joint,'a base plate tor:receiving and supporting the abutting rail ends and provided in its upper side with-a longitudinal groove which inclines upwardly and outwardly and a fish plate having a-flange at its lower edge inclined inwardly and downwardly to snugly fit the upwardly and outwardly inclined longitudinal groove of the base plate to 'formiinterlocking connection therewith.

2. In a rail joint, a base plate having an upwardly extending flange provided upon itsinner side adjacent'the base plate with a longitudinal groove, said baseplate being adapted to receive and support theabutting rail ends, and a fish plate disposed between the abutting rail ends and the said flange and having a flange at its lower edge adapted'to enterthe groove of, the flange formed with the base plate and form interlocking connection therewith.

upstanding flange near one edge longitudi- -nally grooved upon-its inner sideadjacent the plate and having a longitudinal groove in its upper side adjacent the o i positeedge and laterally inclined in an upward and out ward direction,abutting rail ends supported upon the base plate and having portions o'f thetread cut away upon the outer side, an

outer fish plate disposed between the'up standingfiange and the abutting rail ends and having an outer'fla'nge fibltS upper'e'dge overlapping and resting upon said upstand ing flange and having its upper side flush with the tread of the rails and laterally inclineddownwardly and outwardly a flange at its lower edge withits outer portion engaging the longitudinal groove of said upstanding flange and having a longitudinal rib upon its inner side, said rib and the inner portion otthe-lower flange having portions cut away opposite the cut away portion of the abutting rail ends, a spanner filliu ggthe spaceforrned by the said cut away portion and coming flush withthe tread of the rails to support the load in its passage overt-he joint formed therebetween and an inner fish p late fitting snugly between the head and footot the'abutting rail ends and having a flange at its lower end to engage the laterally inclined groove of the base plate and form interlocking connection therewith. V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ONIS J. LENTZ.

WVitnesses: I v

THOMAS J. HAWKINS, ROLAND M. DUEY. 

